Your desk, donned with office supplies, papers, pictures of your family and DISGUSTING GERMS! A study conducted by the University of Arizona found that the typical desk has the capability of carrying 10 times more germs than the average toilet seat. Do I have your attention now? Read on.

With cold and flu season upon us, those who work in an office need to be particularly careful. Not only your desk but also your keyboard, mouse and telephone all support millions of bacteria. The University of Arizona found that there are, on average, 25,127 germs per square inch of your office telephone receiver. Desktops were found to have approximately 21,000 germs per square inch. Some other unlikely areas to think about are coffee pot handles, printer and fax machine buttons, elevator buttons and candy dishes, especially in jars that people have to reach into.

Microbiologist Dr. Chuck Gerba, in his study of a Manhattan Publishing Company, found some other interesting points to consider. The person with a desk that is generally free of clutter still had a filthy surface and keyboard. The most cluttered desk, he found, had the least amount of viruses and bacteria. Desks that generated a lot of activity, where the most people visited, had the greatest amount of germs. Dr. Gerba also found that the levels of viruses and bacteria increase as the day goes on, peaking after lunch. This is a good fact for those of us who eat lunch at our desks.

You may be wondering what kinds of germs are lurking around your office and why they could make you sick. Bacteria are single-celled organisms that cause sicknesses such as strep throught. Illnesses caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics. Viruses, however, cause colds and flu. These illnesses cannot be treated with antibiotics. Dr. Gerba tells us that 80% of the infections that we get are through the environment. Viruses transmitted by coughing and sneezing can live on surfaces for up to three days. Dr. Gerba also found coliform among the office bacteria. He tells us that this bacteria is transmitted to office surfaces when people do not wash their hands after using the bathroom. I won't go into detail on that one!

So, now that I have you really disgusted, here is some good news. There are ways to significantly reduce these germs. To give yourself a better chance of avoiding getting sick this season, use a little hygiene management.

• Regularly clean your workspace. Antibacterial wipes can reduce bacteria by 99%. Use them on your desk, telephone receiver, keyboard, and mouse.
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and hot water for 18 to 20 seconds.
• Get rid of the office candy dishes all together!

My personal recommendation, buy some sanitizing wipes during your lunch break today and keep them in your desk. They are a convenient way to keep your workspace clean on a daily basis.